Exercise machine



June' 16, 1953 J. D. BELL.

EXERCISE MACHINE Filed Aug. '1, 1949 INVENTOR.

Patented June 16, 1953 Application Airgustl, 1949;1SeriaLN6.10.7;873f

- The "present invention relatestoimprovements in exercising machines and contemplates-cer tain" further developments-"in connection with the exercisingmachine-described and claimed in my PatentNumber"2;455548 of December 7 I948.

The patented machine consistediin' its principal features of av base, a post" risingfrom' the front*sectiontliereofj' an inclined track disposed over the rear section, a handle bar at the upper end" ofthe post; a' pair of 'foot' pedal's swingable with respect'to the post,a seatfi a" brace supporting the, seat and movable over the inclinedtrack, and: a: link connection betweenwthe foot, pedals and-the brace whereby a seat. occupant by operation-ofthe foot .pedals couldswinggthe lowen end of the bracerback and forth for-raisinggandglowe-ringthe seat, while graspingthe handle; with his .hands.

In this device the handle bar was stationary so that theupper portionof the body of a'seat occupant grasping the handlebar and operating. the; foot. pedals.woulcttremain relatively unaffected except for the up and down movement of the seat.

In the present invention it is proposed to arrange the handle bar swingable with respect to the supporting post and to provide for a connection between the handle bar and the foot pedals operative to cause the handle bar to swing backwards when the foot pedals are moved forward and vice versa to cause the foot pedals to move backward upon a forward movement of the handle bar, the general object of this arrangement being that operation of one of the members automatically operates the other one.

It is further proposed in the present invention to use the connection between the foot pedals and the handle bar also as a driving connection for the brace supportingthe seat so that a seat occupant [pushing on the pedals and pulling on the handle bar will raise the seat while the weight of the seat occupant will automatically return the foot pedals and the handle bar to their orig- Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds,

and the novel features-- of my: inventior'rwill" befully defihed inthe-claims attached hereto; 7

The preferred form V of myinvention iswillustra-ted in the a'ccompanyingdrawing; in which Figure 1 shows a perspective view of my exercisingimachine; and" Figure Z; a -detail v-iew 0f-= a-handl'e-bar attach e ment usedihthemacliiire:

While 'IfFh'aVB ShOWI'I'QIITY the' preferred form of pry-invention; Iwish*td-liaveitmnderstoodthat:

various changes and modifications maybe madewithin the scope of the claims attached'- hereto without departing thespirit-of the inven- 171011;

Referring; to the drawing: in detail; myexercisingmachin-e' comprises in its principal features a' main frame I having a pair of posts 2" atthe. front end thereof and "an inclined" track '3 mounted over the rear section; aframe-4 swing abl'egin the front portion of the main frame as-at"5'-and having a seat 6 mounted upon" its-rearend-- over the inclined' track 3;* a' brace 1- pivoted to the frame 4 as a at 8* and carrying at' its lower ends a roller 9 adapted for back and forth movement on the inclined track 3. A pair of foot pedals ID are mounted on a frame ll swingable in a for-' Ward extension of the posts shown at I2, a handle post I3 is pivoted in the frame posts as at M, and a link 15 connects the foot pedal frame, the handle post, and the brace 1, whereby upon a forward movement of the foot pedals the brace is moved toward vertical position for raising the seat while at the same time the handle bar I6 at the upper end of the post I 3 is swung rearwardly.

The frame I is preferably made in the form of a pipe of substantial diameter, the pipe being bent intermediate its length to provide a raised front section I! and being held against tilting by a cross-bar l8 at the rear end and the spacing between the posts at the front end. It may further be braced by suitable diagonal members I9.

The inclined track 3 is supported over the rear portion of the main frame I by means of brackets 20 and 2|, one of which may be made adjustable by a hook member 22 engaging in any one of several notches 23.

The track 3 is here shown as having a substantially horizontal rear portion, an inclined intermediate portion and a somewhat steeper front portion, but it is apparent that the shape of the track may be changed in many diiferent ways for producing desired efiects upon the body of the person usingthe machine.

The frame 4 may be made substantially V- shaped so as'to cause its lowerportion to straddie the posts. it may be formed, intermediate its length, with a stop 24 adapted to bear on the brace l to prevent the latter from going beyond vertical position.

The posts 2 are held in spaced and parallel relation by suitable spacing members 25, and the upper portions of the posts are telescoped into the lower portions as at 26 so as to allow the upper portions to be pulled out whenever it is desired to reduce the overall dimensions of the exercising machine when not in use.

The foot pedal frame H is swingably supported in the post extensions 12 as shown at 21.

The handle post I3 is also made in two telescoping sections as indicated at 28 so as to allow the upper section to be pulled out of the lower section along with the removal of the upper portions of the posts from their lower portions. The lower section 30 of the handle post is pivoted to a pin 3| which latter is welded or otherwise permanently secured to the connecting link [5. The telescoping connection in the handle post also makes the latter extensible to follow the movements of the connecting link l5.

In operation, a seat occupant will place his feet on the pedals while grasping the handle bar IS with his hands. He may simultaneously push forward on the pedals and pull backward on the handle bar so as to straighten out his entire body while at the same time the seat is moved upwards to raise the middle portion of the body. At the end of the movement the body will be fully extended in slightly inclined or almost horizontal position. When the efforts on the foot pedals and the handle bar are relaxed, the weight of the body of the seat occupant will automatically return the different parts to their original positions due to the effect of the inclined track.

I claim:

1. An exercising machine comprising a main frame having a post rising therefrom, a seat supported by the main frame rearwardly of the occupant, and

post, an actuating member for the seat. a foot support member swingably supported by the post and located for operation by a foot of a seat occupant, a pump handle member pivoted in the post rearwardly of the foot support member and located for operation by a hand of the seat a link connecting the three members.

2. An exercising machine comprising a frame, a handle supporting member pivoted to the frame, a pedal supporting member pivoted to the frame forwardly of the handle supporting member, a, seat operating member having a free end movable with respect to the frame, and a common link connecting the three members for moving the latter in unison when one of them is actuated.

3. An exercising machine comprising a frame having a post rising from the front end thereof, a handle supporting member, a pedal supporting member, a seat supporting member, means for pivotally connecting the three members to the post at spaced points, a seat operating member, and a single link connecting the seat operating member and the first two members for causing the same to move in unison when one of them is actuated.

JOSEPH D. BELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,909,002 Oehlbert May 16, 1933 2,017,213 Laborda Oct. 15, 1935 2,145,940 Marlowe Feb. 7, 1939 2,320,489 Turner et a1 June 1, 1943 2,455,548 Bell Dec. 7, 1948 2,456,017 Park Dec. 14, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 378,581 Great Britain 1932 

